How to set up a treasure hunt

Are your kids spending more time running around the vivid greenery of Viva Piñata than in the garden? One of the best ways to endear the great outdoors (or just the local park) to them is to stage a treasure hunt. Leave the GPS behind though – we're going to go old school and use a compass. Don't have a compass? Well then head to the camping section of your nearest sporting goods store and pick up an orienteering compass. A good beginner's compass like the one pictured here shouldn't run more than a tenner.

The parts of the compass

–The needle - this is the magnetised part that always point to magnetic north.–The dial - the dial is marked in degrees with North at 0/360, East at 90, South at 180 and West at 270 –The direction arrow - when reading the compass this is the arrow you follow. –The base - this is where all the parts are mounted.

Facing north

You should start the course by finding magnetic north. Turn the housing dial until north lines up with the direction arrow. Once those are aligned, turn the compass so that the north marking of the needle is aligned with the north on the dial and the direction arrow. You are now facing magnetic north.

Taking a bearing to a landmark

To take a bearing on a landmark, find north and turn the base until the direction arrow is pointing at the landmark. The number on the dial that lines up with the direction arrow is your bearing. Make sure the needle and the north on the dial is still lined up for an accurate bearing.

Making a treasure map

Drawing your own map allows you to gear the activity appropriately for your kids. Your map should be simple with a few landmarks your kids can navigate too. Trees, large rocks, or parts of the playground make good landmarks. Once you've picked the landmarks, it's time to take some readings. First thing to do is find north and mark it on the map. Then take a bearing to the first landmark. One you have that bearing, transfer it to the map and add the landmark. Now walk to the first landmark, take a bearing to the second landmark, and transfer it to the map. Lather, rinse, repeat until you've laid out the map. If you're on your property, you can bury a box with a prize in it. If you're in a park or other public land then it might be best to hide the box somewhere instead.

If you're good with calligraphy, you can make a really cool pirate map. After you draw it soak it in tea to give it an aged look. Once it dries you can burn the edges a little, roll it up and make up some back story about the map.

Maps, compasses and kids

You have a map, you have a compass and you have your kids dressed like pirates. First thing to do is show them how to orient the map. To do this face north and turn the map until north on the map lines up with north on the compass.

Next take a bearing to the first landmark. Have them turn the base until the direction arrow is pointing to the first landmark and read the number on the dial that lines up with the direction arrow. Follow that direction until they get to the first landmark. From there orient the map and find the next landmark.

This activity has so much potential, and you're only limited by your imagination. Theme the treasure hunt to something your kids like: Lord Of The Rings, Star Wars or even Super Mario Brothers. The key here is getting them out and keeping compasses and orienteering off the next list of 100 Things Your Kids May Never Know About.